After meeting the girl of his dreams on a “family” trip, 16-year-old virgin Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) decides to create an alter ego to get into trouble. When Francois Dillinger aids in arson, Nick is sent to live with his father. But when his alter ego gets out of control, he is left trying to pick up the pieces.
Now, every generation needs a film filled with teen angst and torment, but this genre seems to be overdone in recent years. And somehow, Michael Cera keeps ending up in those films. He’s great as the characters he portrays, but audiences should know what they’re going to get when they see his name on the marquee.
Relative newcomer Portia Doubleday delights as French-speaking, vinyl-loving heart’s desire Sheeni Saunders. There can’t be teen angst without the possibility of a relationship, and she plays the slightly complacent and quick-tongued lass to a tee.
With a supporting cast filled with Hollywood names like Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, Justin Long, Fred Willard and Zack Galifianakis, “Youth In Revolt” seems to have too much star power that overshadows scenes at time.
For a film shot almost entirely in Michigan, including Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale and Royal Oak, it was interesting to see the different locations around town one might recognize.
One interesting part of “Youth In Revolt” is the mixture of live action, animation and stop motion. It gives the film an artistic appeal that is really on par with being inside of a teenager’s mind. They could have used more of this style in the film, since when those scenes were shown, they seemed a bit disconnected from the rest.
Overall, “Youth in Revolt” falls prey to one of the most common issues in book-to-film adaptations: too much to say, too little time. Not everything can be translated on screen, and inner monologues are one of the hardest. But if you like Michael Cera, you will like this film — otherwise it’s just more of the same.